Under Cover
by clueless-chan
Summary: It's a mission, but it gets too personal. Crawford and Aya, yaoi and smutty. Part 4 is up
1. Chapter 1

Title: Undercover, Prologue

Author: cluelesspsycho

fandom: Weiss Kreuz

pairing: Crawford/Ran  
Disclaimer: they belong to each other

Rating: M  
Warning: yaoi, some lemon, some smut, hopefully not too explicit

Feedback: yeah, that'll be nice. Just don't flame.

A/N: I'm reaching the limit of my strength dealing with sickness, drug effects, RL problems and not being able to pick up Stray Cat where I left it, so hence something new. Don't expect for a quality story, just enjoy it as it is, if you decide to read this.

Beta by Gabe

Prologue

There was a series of murders, in which the victims were usually lovers – a western man and a Japanese boy, the westerners were usually exceptionally rich, showering the boys not only with affection and pleasure, but also expensive gifts. The killing spree had started a few years back, however it had never been solved before, then it intensified in the last four months. The sugar daddies had one thing in common: they were members of an exclusive gentlemen's club called The Oak Room.

"The plan is," Omi spoke with a serious expression and stern voice, which contradicted his cute face, "for Aya to disguise himself as a foreigner's lover boy, get into the private club and investigate."

Yohji burst into a very loud laughter at the word 'lover boy' while Ken snorted in amusement. Aya gritted his teeth, feeling annoyed more by his teammates reaction than the plan.

"Why not Yohji?" he asked. "He's more suitable to be a… lover boy." He spelled the last two words slowly, glaring daggers at Balinese.

"No," Omi shook his head, either unaffected by Yohji's and Ken's unprofessional behaviour, or simply ignoring them. "We need someone who looks more…" Omi stopped, now he looked hesitant before continuing, "innocent."

Yohji's laughter got even louder, and Aya knew that only his well-practiced self-control that stopped him from strangling Yohji right there, right then.

"Why not you?" He asked Omi, instead.

Omi sighed. Of course, Aya knew that it was a stupid question. Omi was Persia now, he gave orders, planned the strategy, he didn't go into the field himself anymore.

Yohji finally stopped laughing, and asked, in a more serious tone, "And who will be lucky enough to be the gaijin?" He ended the question by giving a meaningful side-long glance to at Aya.

Although Aya did not like it, the question still had an effect on him. He suddenly felt as if his chair was too hot to sit on.

"Well," Omi's expression changed into a concerned one, which could be taken as a very big problem. He looked Aya straight in the eye. "I know this will be hard for you to take,; however, I have gotten confirmation that Brad Crawford will help us by posing as the gaijin.

Even Aya could not restrain himself from gasping at the news, while Yohji groaned and Ken snorted.

"I'm out," snapped Aya, rising from his seat.

"Aya-kun, please, wait," Omi quickly blurted. "Sorry to have to come up with this plan,; however, the club is very strict and only members and their selected guests are welcome. Brad Crawford has been a member since he came to Tokyo. Besides, it was it's not like we are still fighting each other. Esset is completely gone. He's still here because he has other interests. Please, Aya-kun. He's our best bet. I can't find another one. Besides, he knows about this kind of operation. If worse comes to worst, he can always help you."

Yohji shook his head as Aya crossed his arms over his chest. What had gotten into Omi's mind, asking help from ex-enemy? How could he easily trust Crawford?

"What do I have to do then?" Aya finally gave up. There were people's lives at stake, he could not be so selfish as to refuse to co-operate with an ex-enemy in order to help them. He was a professional, he could handle this.

Omi smiled at him, relieved, grateful. "I have arranged for you to meet Crawford tomorrow afternoon," he said.

"What for?" Aya reacted a little too quickly.

"To talk…" Omi paused again, searching for the right word, "terms."

Aya almost made himself look stupid again by asking what terms he needed to discuss with Crawford, but Yohji cut in, draping his lanky body over Aya's shoulders. "But first," he said, "what we really, really need to do is to get you to shop for some clothes. You need to start to dress like a… lover boy." Yohji ended his words with a very broad grin, and Aya shrugged him off none too gently.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Under Cover, Part 1 of

Author: cluelesspsycho

fandom: Weiss Kreuz

pairing: Crawford/Ran

Disclaimer: they belong to each other  
Rating: M  
Warning: yaoi, some lemon, some smut, hopefully not too explicit

Feedback: yes… please

Beta by Gabe 

1

Omi chose a small coffee shop for the meeting. Aya decided against driving his Porsche there, hence arriving early. The coffee shop was quiet,; it was mid-afternoon of a Friday, most people were saving themselves for the big night tonight when they'd go drinking with their co-workers and buddies. Only two tables were occupied, ladies in pretty dresses and well-taught manners, and they did not hide their amusement at seeing Aya entering. It made Aya uncomfortable, and he blamed it on the clothes Yohji had chosen for him. Granted they were only a button down shirt, black, and low rise jeans – both from an Italian designer's collection whose name was too difficult and unimportant for Aya to remember - but they were a bit too tight for his opinion. They clung to him like a second skin, hugging him obscenely. Yohji said he looked spectacular. Aya thought he looked positively slutty. The Doc Marten boots he wore under the jeans did not help at all to rectify the impression.

However, Aya ignored all the uneasiness within his heart and body – after all, he was a master of disguise and manipulation - and walked to the table at in the corner by the display window. He sat down, ordered cappuccino, a safe choice, and a slice of cheese cake, then he pulled out an English novel from his Louis Vuitton postman bag, another thing Yohji picked up for him without consulting him first, knowing very well that Aya would reject the expensive choice.

The cake was good, the coffee okay, and the book was quite exciting, and Aya finally welcomed the nice change from the busy, over-crowded flower shop in a mid-afternoon. Though Aya had not forgotten his purpose for being here, he felt that he could use a few minutes more before Crawford arrived.

Aya did not have to lift his eyes from his book to see, or to know, that Crawford was finally coming, right on the time he set with Omi. He knew from the signs the ladies gave when the Oracle entered, which were the same signs he received previously. Besides, Crawford's presence filled the room like a flood hitting a village, sweeping swiftly, knocking over everything on his way. It was only out of politeness that Aya brought the book down as he brought his face up and his eyes met Crawford's.

It had been almost one year since he last saw Crawford in the temple. On one hand, it was a relief that some things did not change, such as the way Crawford carried his body and persona with an arrogance so natural nobody dared to question it. Perhaps it was the well-built body he'd acquired from boxing training. Perhaps it was the piercing blue eyes behind shiny glasses. Or perhaps the aura of mystery and uncertainty that shadowed him everywhere he went.

Perhaps it was simply his handsome face and high taste in fashion. He had exchanged his white suit with a black one, his shirt was very light grey and his tie maroon. He had one hand inside the pants pocket, and he walked in steady, even steps towards Aya, the soles of his patent leather dress shoes making a dull tap tap sound on the marble floor.

When he was close enough, and before Aya could guess, he bent down and kissed Aya on the cheek, very close to his lips.

Aya was too startled to react. But the ladies did not care to refrain from moaning in unison. They simply watched too much TV, Aya decided later, as at that very moment he was busy wondering whether the undercover had started as of now.

Then Crawford sat down, across the table from Aya. A waitress had approached the table, and Crawford asked for black coffee, no sugar.

As the waitress disappeared to get Crawford's order, Aya still could not think of a word to say. He still stared at Crawford, understanding the whole thing, yet flustered. And embarrassed.

Crawford took out a cigarette case from his jacket's inner pocket. Without asking Aya's permission, he took one, and lit it. As he saw fire flickering from the lighter, Aya thought that he really ought to say something.

Instead, Crawford spoke first, after blowing a stream of smoke; his eyes never left Aya. "I've found a apartment for you." His voice deep and cold and sharp, giving a chilly feeling that Aya had never had before when facing or fighting Crawford.

The waitress came with a cup of black coffee, setting it in front of Crawford carefully as if Crawford would bite her if she did it wrong. Crawford gave her a thankyou smile, and she practically dashed off, blushing.

"It's… it's not necessary," Aya stammered when he had found his voice again.

"I want you to have a proper place to sleep every night," said Crawford. "A proper place for me to visit. It's not good for me if you come too often to my place, and I don't particularly like hotel rooms."

By sheer will, Aya did not bat his eyelashes. "We need to talk about terms."

Crawford sipped his coffee, and by the way he put the cup back, even if his face did not show anything, Aya knew, Crawford did not like the coffee. "There is only one term," said Crawford as he pushed his glasses up his nose. He also had traded in his huge, nerdy look glasses with a sleeker, trendier pair, and they looked good on him. "And that's mine."

Aya made a mental note to tell Omi that it was really a bad idea to make an alliance with Crawford. He suddenly had an imagination of Omi signing an agreement with Crawford with a gun pointing at his genki blond head.

Crawford fished inside his jacket again, this time to withdraw a passport wallet. He removed a banknote and placed it on the table, the denomination was enough to cover the cake, coffee and tips for the waitress. "We'd better go now, I have an appointment before dinner."

Aya only nodded, finally deciding that it was better to play along as it gave him no space of thinking too much about his role and he could just focus on the mission. He slipped his book back into the bag and got up.

As Aya walked past Crawford, Crawford took his hand, sending electrocution-like sparks along his skin. Aya inhaled deeply, quietly, and let himself be led by the hand out of the coffee shop, under the contented stare of the ladies. As they reached the door, Aya vaguely heard the words 'chickenhawk' and 'rice queen' from the giggling ladies.

-----

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Under Cover, Part 2 of

Author: cluelesspsycho

fandom: Weiss Kreuz

pairing: Crawford/Ran

Disclaimer: they belong to each other  
Rating: M  
Warning: yaoi, some lemon, some smut, hopefully not too explicit

Feedback: yes… please

Beta by Gabe 

2

The apartment was spacious, lush and expensive, it was located in one of the best buildings in Shinjuku, and Aya did not dare to think about what kind of apartment Crawford had. Like most Japanese style apartments, it consisted of one big main room, with a small kitchen and a bathroom. The difference with common apartments, other than the size, was the interior. It was smartly decorated, Upper Manhattan style, with a huge canopied bed as the centerpiece, though they still had to take their shoes off at the genkan before stepping on the wood paneled floor. The whole setting gave Aya a confined feeling. He could not imagine sharing the bed with Crawford, and while that was unlikely to happen, thanks gods, there were sofas.

"I also have bought some clothes for you," Crawford said, but he did not move from where he stood near the dining table to show Aya. Neither did he ask whether Aya liked it or not – both the apartment and his taking the liberty to buy clothes. But that was not important. "More appropriate clothes," Crawford added, and Aya began wondering what it was with people always wanting to buy him clothes? He did not see anything wrong with the way he dressed, it was purposefully casual and dull, to make his crimson hair less eye-catching. Besides, nice clothes meant lots of money, and he could not afford losing money just for the sake of fashion. "I don't want to look like I'm dragging a garbage collector to the club."

Aya did not bother to say anything about it. He walked to the window. It gave a pretty view of the city. Very different from the view of his bedroom window at the Koneko which overlooked the alley at the back of the shop. He found it difficult not to fall in love with the apartment. He could sit by the window all day long, reading, brooding…

"I have to meet someone now," said Crawford as he checked his watch. "I'll pick you up at seven thirty and we'll have dinner at the club."

"Do I have to move here?" Aya asked as he turned around. Crawford was still standing where he was.

"Yes, Aya, that is the whole point," answered Crawford coldly. "Now, come here."

Aya frowned a little, tilting his head, but he managed not to ask another question. He padded across the floor.

They stood face to face for some seconds, and as Aya began wondering what Crawford had in mind, Crawford leaned forward and pecked Aya's cheek for the second time of the day.

His lips left a burning feeling on Aya's skin, long after Crawford had gone.

-------

"You didn't tell me about the apartment," Aya grunted as soon as he entered the mission room at the basement of the Koneko. Omi was working with his computer, typing away frantically. He still preferred to work here, rather than in his office in Kritiker's.

"What apartment?" asked Omi without shifting his eyes from the monitor.

"Crawford got me an apartment. Said that I'd better move in there during this whole case." Aya crossed his arms across his chest.

"Ah," Omi breathed, but Aya was not sure that was a reaction to his answer, or because Omi found something on the internet, as Omi stopped typing and leaned closer to the monitor. The next time Omi spoke, Aya understood. "Crawford's terms are that he is free to choose whichever way he is going to help us. Remember that the sugar daddies – the westerners – showered their lover boys with gifts. I'm sure that some stretched as far as an apartment, purchased or rented."

Yeah, Aya remembered that part from the mission folder. He just did not expect that Crawford would go that far too.

"Good thing you already have your Porsche, otherwise, Crawford might have rented one for you too," Omi continued, as if mindlessly, he was still not looking at Aya. "Look, I've found something." He typed again, then he sighed. "Interesting."

Aya moved closer to hunch over from behind Omi to look at the monitor. Now he'd got Aya's attention, Omi said, "It seems that shortly before their deaths, the westerners withdrew a large amount of money from their saving accounts, mostly hidden saving accounts."

"They're blackmailed," Aya murmured.

"Looks like it. Unfortunately, they withdrew the money in cash so there are no records of who received them. If there was one who transferred into a particular account…" Omi began typing again and the monitor changed as he did, "then perhaps we could get a profile of the suspect."

Aya bit his lower lip, trying to process that information in his brain. "Perhaps the boys were kidnapped. Then the kidnapper asked for some ransom. Given that the nature of the relationship is an affair – a secretive one -, their lovers decided to pay to keep things concealed. And the money came from an account nobody knew."

"No wives. The victims were chosen quite carefully."

"Look, keep me informed, I have to go now. I have a dinner date with Crawford at seven thirty, and he's going to pick me up at the apartment."

"Dinner date tonight, uh?" Yohji sauntered in with a leer on his face. "Crawford really doesn't waste time. Do you need a tutorial first?"

Aya glared at Yohji, he was annoyed enough with the whole apartment situation. "No, I can handle it." He walked past Yohji towards the spiral stair.

"Hey, you'll never know!" Yohji followed Aya, and was lucky enough to be completely ignored then pushed away. "Considering that I've never seen you dating before, which could mean that you have no experience at all…"

"Aya-kun!" Omi called out when Aya was half way on the stairs, Yohji on his heels. Aya stopped and looked down, expecting another piece of information Omi had fished out from the internet. "Do I need to change your shift? You're on morning shift tomorrow."

Aya scowled. "No need. I'll be here at eight."

------

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Under Cover, Part 3 of

Author: cluelesspsycho

fandom: Weiss Kreuz

pairing: Crawford/Ran

Disclaimer: they belong to each other  
Rating: M  
Warning: yaoi, some lemon, some smut, hopefully not too explicit

Feedback: yes… please

Beta by Gabe

lj-cut text"… better get used to it…" 

Aya took his Porsche to the new apartment, bringing some of his personal stuff such as old clothes and books. When he arrived, he still had one and a half hours to kill before Crawford came to pick him up, so he went to take a long, hot shower, washing his hair carefully, scrubbing his skin until he was satisfied with the cleanliness. The shampoo was soft and smelled very nice, the bath gel was no different. He came out of the shower smelling, and feeling, like a well-bathed baby. The bathroom was big enough to have a cabinet with rows and rows of toiletries. Aya had seen some of the items in Yohji's room; he only had the vaguest idea of their purposes. But Yohji had explained them, and now he only had to read the label carefully to make sure that he did not pick the wrong bottle. He had never bothered to go into such trouble before.

As he went through the wardrobe, Aya thought that it sure felt weird to go on a date, although this could not be counted as a real date. It was even weirder to be one to get picked up. Aya had dated once, a long time ago, in another lifetime, and he was the one picking up the girl, although he had not had his Porsche then, and they went to a cinema in a bus on a fine afternoon, because that was how it as supposed to be. Now he knew how the girl felt, all anxious and excited, in waiting and anticipating - well, perhaps in his present state, it was not an excitement, it was a mission, it had to be done, and he felt nothing but… weird.

To have to choose the right clothes from the new collection Crawford made available for him proved to give him a headache. Yohji had said that he should wear something simple but classy as he was going to have dinner in a private club, not a techno club. Problem was, everything in the wardrobe looked simple and classy. In fact, they all looked so similar that Aya was certain that Crawford had not chosen the clothes one by one himself. He must have ordered one particular collection from a catalog. Suddenly Aya wished Yohji was by his side to help him.

After pulling down and pulling off half of the wardrobe, Aya finally settled on a long sleeved turtle neck, made of cashmere, grey colored, and suede pants in the same color only two shades darker, which did not cling to him as tightly as a bloodsucker. After the final touches, which included tidying up his hair, he still had time to put the clothes back in the wardrobe properly.

Still, Aya almost jumped when he heard the doorbell. Checking his appearance in the mirror once again, and scowling after that, Aya went to get the door. It was Crawford, alright, and Aya quickly opened the door to let him in.

Crawford looked… Aya did not get to find the right word as Crawford's lips landed on his right cheek, startling him again for the third time in half of a day. It was only when Crawford was halfway to the living room that Aya found his ability to think and speak again.

"Look, Crawford, I don't know why you insist so much on the kisses…" he said, choosing his words carefully, but was cut short by Crawford's steely voice.

"You're my lover during the mission, better get used to it, or you'll blow everything."

Aya managed not to bat his eyelashes.

Crawford turned around, tilting his head, an approving look in his eyes, and he said,"Look good, Aya. I take it you have a good teacher."

"Glad you like it," Aya murmured, clenching his right fist, suddenly having goosebumps on his stomach. Yohji complimented him from time to time, but mostly for his intelligence and his natural good looks, he had never complimented Aya for his fashion choice. It was different coming from Crawford, the compliment was for his effort. Steeling his heart, he continued, "You look good yourself."

Crawford did not say anything, he turned on his heel and went to the wardrobe. Aya watched him, recollecting why he was surprised by Crawford's look at the door. Crawford still wore his black suit, however, his white shirt was replaced by a maroon colored shirt, no tie, and Aya was sure that he had never seen anybody else look better wearing a maroon colored shirt.

"Put this on," said Crawford as he tossed something to Aya. Aya caught it to find a leather jacket. "I don't want people to stare at my property."

"I'm not your property," Aya protested.

"You better start thinking like it now, " said Crawford. "Let's go."

Taking a very deep breath, Aya put the jacket on, and from his reflection in the mirror at the other side of the room, Aya knew that Crawford was right. He did not look mouth watering anymore, the leather jacket had given him a whole new look.

A showcase of Crawford's wealth.

He made a mental note never to ask Yohji how much such a jacket cost.

-----

The Oak Room was everything one could expect from a traditional gentlemen's club, exclusively for gentlemen, with its rich and elegant decoration, the smells of liquor, steak and cigar smoke, and vague music in the background. Crawford presented himself at the reception desk, then they were ushered to the bar in the foyer to wait while their table was being prepared. To Aya's surprise, no one even blinked at him, no one had a questioning look on his face at his presence with Crawford. A quick scan of the bar provided him with the information that there were a few other patrons who looked like him – showcases.

He followed Crawford to sit on a stool at the bar counter, making sure that he was close enough to Crawford, their arms almost touching. Crawford ordered straight whiskey, but Aya did not get to place his own order. Crawford took Aya's chin in his fingers and looked into Aya's eyes for a moment before turning to the bartender and said,"He'll have a martini," all in one swift but smooth movement. This time, Aya managed to keep his expression straight.

The whiskey and martini came at a remarkable speed, and after one sip, Crawford leaned over to whisper in Aya's ear. It tickled, and Aya was trying to focus on sipping his martini in style, but he did not wince as Crawford said, "You haven't told me how do you like the apartment."

Aya swallowed a little martini, focusing his mind, before saying, "It's nice… it's beautiful."

"If there is anything you want to change…"

"No, no, no," Aya shook his head, putting the martini glass down; out of the corner of his eyes, he tried to find out if anyone was listening to their almost inaudible conversation or paying attention. Nobody seemed to care. "Everything's splendid. I brought a few of my old things…"

Crawford's expression changed into a disapproving one. But he put his fingers on Aya's wet lips and he said, "I'd rather, if you want something, you tell me…"

"Excuse me, Crawford-san, your table is ready," the maitre d' appeared from nowhere.

Crawford lowered his fingers. "Thankyou," he said as he got up without so much of a glance at the maitre d'. He took Aya's hand, and led him to the main dining room.

----

Tbc

/lj-cut 


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Under Cover, Part 4 of

Author: cluelesspsycho

fandom: Weiss Kreuz

pairing: Crawford/Ran

Disclaimer: they belong to each other  
Rating: M  
Warning: yaoi, some lemon, some smut, hopefully not too explicit

Feedback: yes… please

Beta by Gabe

"The main dining room was….," Aya paused to find the right word. Apparently, he failed, and he settled on the best closest one, "nice. Beautiful. You know, nicely decorated. High ceiling, crystal lamps, and everything. Fine chinaware and silverware…"

"What did you have?" Yohji cut in. He looked bored. Aya knew what he wanted to know but he would not give Yohji the joy too soon.

"What did I… oh," Aya chuckled. "Crawford ordered for me. He did not let me do it myself. I can't remember the names. He ordered a three course meal, all with Italian and French words. It was superb, though. We also had a bottle of wine."

Yohji smirked knowingly, and Aya took it as a tease.

"Did you notice anything unusual?" asked Omi, intending to move the briefing forward.

"Describe 'unusual'," Yohji said, but quickly shut his mouth when Omi glared at him. Aya gave a deep sigh. He had never hated a mission briefing before. Right then, he wanted to grab Yohji by his shirt and shove his head into the toilet bowl.

"I did not see anything out of the normal circumstances, if that's what you mean, but I noticed that despite its respectable nature, there were quite a few boys like me… you know…" Aya stopped again, unable to say the words.

"Aya, it's a gentlemen's club," said Yohji again before Omi got the chance to comment first. "Only ladies are not allowed entrance there."

Aya gave Yohji a deep scowl. "Funny you said that, because Crawford said the same thing when I mentioned it."

Omi heaved a heavy sigh. He rubbed his right temple. "Look, why don't we let Aya finish his story first, then you can make comments all you want afterwards?" Obviously, he was talking to Yohji, although he did not look at him.

"After you," Yohji leaned back, and put his feet on the low coffee table.

"All of the gentlemen, the westerners, who brought the boys," now Omi turned to Aya, and Aya saw Yohji mouth 'sugar daddies' behind Bombay. He made an effort not to frown. "is Was there anyone you recognized? Politicians, actors, socialites?"

"Yeah," Aya tore a page from his planner. "They all are here." He handed the paper to Omi, who managed to snatch it before Yohji did. "I listed them all, including the not so popular ones, and the Japanese ones, just in case."

"Awesome," Omi murmured as he quickly went through the little list, with Ken reading from behind him.

"You wrote this during the dinner?" asked Ken.

Now Aya glared at Ken, and Yohji laughed. Ken made a face that made Yohji laughed louder.

"I'll run a check on these people," said Omi.

Aya shrugged. "Crawford said they're clean."

"So you actually showed the list to Crawford and Crawford told you his opinion and you bought it?" Yohji bit the bait before Aya even closed his mouth.

"Crawford gave me some descriptions and I wrote it them down, that's all I did," Aya snapped; his temper was getting shorter and shorter. He did not understand why Yohji was acting like that. It was as if Yohji was jealous of… of what? It was Kritiker who decided that Crawford could assist them with the mission, and while he was at it, Aya did not see anything wrong in working together, comparing notes. "He knows most of them anyway."

"Oh yeah, I forgot - Crawford is supposed to tell you what to do during the mission," Yohji suddenly grinned.

"Good, now that we have that finally settled," said Omi with enough sarcasm to cut a thick steel slab, "can we move on? Anything else we can use as a clue?"

Aya shook his head.

"What about Crawford?" A sudden question from Ken, and three pairs of eyes were diverted to him. "I mean, he's a longtime member of the club. While you're there, did any of the guests greet him? Say something? Anything? Is he popular?"

"Well, the staff know Crawford by name, and vice versa, at least, the ones on duty last night. The maitre d' knows his favourite wine and cigar and how Crawford likes his steak… however, the guests seem to prefer to keep their business in the club to themselves. Except…," Aya's voice trailed, "Takeda Ryuu… I think that's his name. I didn't remember having ever seen him before, although Crawford told me that he is quite powerful."

"You didn't write Takeda Ryuu here," Omi waved the paper, then he put it down and typed 'Takeda Ryuu' into his laptop on the coffee table.

"I forgot. Perhaps because I actually talked to him. We were waiting on the terrace for Crawford's car when Takeda Ryuu arrived. He greeted Crawford and mentioned that that was the first time Crawford had ever brought a boy to the club, and that I must be important enough to have earned the honor."

"Was that a compliment or an insult?" asked Ken again.

"Just a statement," Aya shrugged. "I think Takeda is a good guy, but that's only a first impression. Crawford introduced me to him but he did not let me shake Takeda's hand. I think Takeda understands such things. He smiled and wished us a good evening, then he went inside and Crawford's car arrived."

Omi bit his lower lip. "I'll still put him in the list, although he seems to be clean. He does own major shares of the Takeda Construction Plants and Equipment Factory, but he does not like to show off or have his picture taken, he spends more time in England than Japan, and he's married to Hirata Ai, a former model, with three children."

"Lucky guy," Yohji sighed.

"That's all, I think," said Aya. He moved to get up from the sofa.

"No!" Yohji blurted, startling Aya and the other two Weiss. "NO! You haven't told me what happened next."

"What? Nothing happened next."

"Did Crawford go back to the apartment with you?"

Aya felt anger start to creep up from his bowel. His cheeks warmed. "Of course he did," he gritted his teeth in annoyance. "We're supposed to be dating."

"And?" Yohji pushed his luck further.

"And that's all, Yohji. I slept in the bed, he watched CNN all night long, sitting in the sofa. Nothing happened."

"What?" Yohji's eyes widened in total disbelief.

"What do you expect, Yohji? I'm not the type of person who'd hit anything that moves."

"You spent all night long in the same room with Crawford and you didn't even think of trying anything with him?"

"Yohji!" Omi snarled, getting completely annoyed by Yohji's funny behaviour.

"I'm not a pervert. Just because he insists on demonstrating affection in public doesn't mean…"

"You're wasting your time."

Aya took a very deep breath, keeping his temper in check. "I have to go, Crawford is going to pick me up in two hours and I haven't washed my hair. Say whatever, Yohji, I don't give a damn!"

And Aya marched out of the mission room, his ears catching loud laughter from Yohji's throat.

Once he was in the car, Aya took time to take a deep breath and calm himself. Yohji really got on his nerves and he did not understand why. But Yohji was known to be a terrible teaser, and Aya decided to leave it at that. They were professionals, they damn well knew the line between mission and personal life.

Although, perhaps, it would be better if he had not blushed when Crawford hugged his waist tightly while the man exchanged words with Takeda Ryuu. Aya knew he'd been blushing, he could feel it in his cheeks. Which, come to think about it now, actually seemed appropriate for last night's circumstances.

And he should stop feeling awkward about having to spend the night in the same room with Crawford. True, he had not been able to find anything in the wardrobe that he could wear to bed and had been forced to sleep in his briefs only, but there was always a blanket he could use to cover his almost naked body. Crawford, after all, had kept most of his clothes on; he had only taken his jacket and shoes off.

They were all professionals.

----

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Under Cover, Part 5 of

Author: cluelesspsycho

fandom: Weiss Kreuz

pairing: Crawford/Ran

Disclaimer: they belong to each other  
Rating: M  
Warning: yaoi, some lemon, some smut, hopefully not too explicit

Feedback: yes… please

Beta by Gabe

Part 5

To Aya's surprise, Crawford took him to an opera that evening. No wonder he had asked Aya to dress formally in a suit, although hadn't said anything about a tie. Aya had never been to an opera before; it was really a pleasant surprise for him because he'd always wanted to go to one. Crawford even had a special VIP box where they could see and concentrate on the stage without any obstruction at all.

During the interval, they went to the bar to buy drinks. Crawford bought Aya champagne, while he settled for straight whiskey. Aya tried not to look at the crisp banknotes Crawford handed to the bartender; he had the feeling that he'd get a heart attack if he knew the figure.

They stood near a column, enjoying the drink. Crawford had one arm around Aya's waist, subtle but clear enough to those who cared to look. It still felt odd to Aya to have Crawford so close to him and touching him, however, he was learning to ignore the feeling. He only wished that Crawford's scent hadn't been attacking his system so strongly.

A group of ladies walked past in front of them, and Crawford whispered, "Hirata Ai, Takeda's wife. The one in the silver dress."

Aya followed the woman with his eyes. Although she was not young anymore, and her body clearly showed the signs of her past pregnancies, Hirata Ai still stood out among her entourage. She was pretty without making people envious of her beauty. Her smile was very sweet and her eyes lively. She laughed a lot and her friends looked very comfortable around her.

Aya wondered why Crawford was pointing out that woman to him. Had the Oracle – ex-Oracle - foreseen anything?

"Takeda is on his way to London at this very moment," Crawford added.

"Why does Takeda go to England so often?" asked Aya.

"Nobody knows. You see, the Takedas are not the kind of people who invite you to have dinner with them. They throw big parties for Christmas, New Year and Golden Week, but that's all. I play bridge and pool with Takeda at the Oak Room once in a while, however, most knowledge I have about him I got from secured data base, which is limited anyway."

Aya tried to focus on Crawford's words, and between wondering whether the Takedas had anything to do with the case they were working on and Crawford's deep, soft voice, he did not have much success. The champagne only added to the headiness, making him want to giggle, filling his veins with warmth and sparks.

They were on their way back to the main room when their paths crossed with Hirata's. The woman smiled. "Crawford-san," she greeted, and extended her right hand to Crawford.

Crawford took it and kissed it gently, whispering, "Madam, how nice to meet you here."

Hirata rolled her eyes. "I was bored." Then her gaze darted to Aya. "Hi, I'm Hirata Ai," she extended her hand to Aya too, and Aya reluctantly took it. "I've never seen you before." Aya kissed Hirata's hand lightly. Hirata giggled. She sounded amused. "What happened to the German?"

Aya almost frowned but he successfully did not.

"This is Fujimiya Aya," Crawford introduced him, ignoring the mention of Schuldig, his voice flat, his arm snaking around Aya's waist again. Hirata's expression did not change to give them a clue about what she was thinking about the gesture. "Aya works for a flower shop."

"Oh, really? Which one?"

"It's only a small shop," Aya finally found his voice. Hirata's presence near him really overwhelmed him. "Koneko No Sumu Iie."

Hirata smiled. "Never heard of it."

Aya gave her a half smile.

"Anyway, sorry we didn't invite you for Christmas, we heard that you went to Switzerland," said Hirata, although she did not sound apologetic at all.

"Never mind, Madam, and yes, I flew to Switzerland last Christmas."

"Let me know if you're here this Christmas, and I'll send you an invitation."

"I'll do that, Ma'am."

And then they said their good byes as they had reached the door, and had to go on their separate ways.

"She remembers you that much," said Aya as he sat down.

Crawford only shrugged.

It was past midnight when they left the opera house. They spent the trip back to the apartment in silence, Crawford driving quietly, and Aya thought it was a good thing that Crawford did not start a conversation. He had the feeling that if he had to talk, he'd say something silly. He'd had three glasses of champagne within three hours, and, considering that he'd never consumed that much alcohol in so short a time, he could be categorized as completely drunk right now - although he'd read somewhere that the alcohol level of champagne was not enough to cause drunkenness.

His knees were so wobbly when he got out of the car that Crawford had to keep him from falling after giving his car key to the valet staff. No, he was not actually falling. He was convinced that it was only Crawford's act to show people around them that they were really lovers, otherwise Crawford would not have held him as tightly as that.

Aya almost giggled at the thought.

He giggled in the elevator, and fortunately, there was no one else to see him making himself look stupid.

"You see, Aya," said Crawford, his voice stern and serious, "one trick in drinking champagne is to take a leak every ten minutes or so. That'll help in releasing the effect from your system."

"Then perhaps you should not buy me that much champagne."

Crawford only looked at him as if he was a five year old boy trying to get the cookie jar from the dining table.

Aya did not need anymore help when they got out of the elevator to the apartment. However, taking Crawford's advice, he quickly ran to the bathroom once they were inside, shrugging from and dropping his jacket carelessly on the floor as he went.

But Crawford was right, Aya felt better after a long leak. At least, the headiness gone, but the warmth stayed. He took a deep breath, relieved, then he took the rest of his clothes off: the turtleneck and the pants. He made a mental note to bring something to wear to bed in this apartment; either pajamas, sweatpants or yukata.

He walked out of the bathroom only in his briefs. Last night, it had felt weird. However, it had started to settle inside him that he did not feel disturbed anymore in being half naked near Crawford.

Crawford had taken his jacket and tie off and was talking on his cell phone. He spoke in German, and Aya had an amusing thought that he was talking to Schuldig. The TV was blasting with CNN. Aya could see that Crawford had set a pillow and blanket on the sofa.

Standing by the bathroom windows, shivering in cold night air; Aya waited patiently until Crawford finished his conversation. And when the man did, Aya said, "We can share the bed if you want."

He got a sharp stare for that. "That's all right, Aya," Crawford said as he put the cell phone on the table. "There are limits in this undercover assignment, and I won't push you over them."

Aya chuckled, knowing very well that he had not phrase his sentence right. "I just thought… it must not be comfortable to have to sleep on the sofa every night."

Crawford shrugged. "I've been in worse situations."

"Okay," Aya walked to the bed. He knew better than to force Crawford to take the offer. "Good night." He paused. "And thanks for the pleasant treat."

"Good night," Crawford said coldly. Aya quickly slipped under the blanket, suddenly feeling chilled to the bone.

----

tbc


End file.
